1. MISSILE INTERCEPT SYSTEM WILL NOT BE STATIONED IN SDEROT.
First Iron Dome battery due to be ready in May, but will not be deployed in area as long as there is no escalation. Senior General Staff source: To use it against isolated Kassams would be a waste.
2. HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL LAW DEPARTMENT DURING OPERATION CAST LEAD: ISRAEL NEED NOT FEAR GOLDSTONE INQUIRY COMMITTEE.
At closed Tel Aviv conference, Col. (res.) Pnina Sharvit-Baruch said that, "In hindsight, it could be that it would have been correct to cooperate with the Goldstone Commission. It could be that if we had cooperated with the Commission, the report might not have been so bad."
3. FROM JAFFA TO HOLLYWOOD: "AJAMI" CANDIDATE FOR OSCAR.
MA’ARIV
1. Palestinian PM's "Herzliya speech":
"WE WILL ESTABLISH A STATE WITHIN TWO YEARS."
In rare step, Salam Fayyad addressed Herzliya Conference: "Stop building in the settlements; a Palestinian state will be established in that area."
2. "NEW ISRAEL FUND" STORM REACHES KNESSET.
MKs to discuss establishment of parliamentary committee of inquiry into funding of organizations that gave information for Goldstone Report.
3. AJAMI IN HOLLYWOOD.
Jaffa makes history: "Ajami" is one of five candidates for Oscar for Best Foreign Film.
4. ISRAELI BEDOUIN IN HAMAS'S HANDS.
Mentally unstable youth from Hura crosses border into Gaza – and is captured.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. WAR OF NERVES.
Hamas: Shalit contacts halted. Netanyahu: Ball is in Hamas' court. But Israel assesses: Negotiations will continue.
2. MENTALLY UNSTABLE MAN CROSSES BORDER INTO GAZA.
Last night: Bedouin youth crossed fence and was being held by Hamas personnel.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. 17 MKs submit bill to prevent High Court of Justice from overturning laws that "are unconstitutional."
OUTRAGE IN LEGAL SYSTEM OVER "HIGH COURT BYPASS LAW."
According to proposal initiated by MK Yaakov Katz, High Court of Justice can overturn law – but Knesset can overturn the overturning. Senior legal source: This is an attempt to undermine the Supreme Court."
2. NETANYAHU: "IF HAMAS WANTS, THERE WILL BE A DEAL."
Responds to A-Zahar's claim that he is responsible for collapse of negotiations. "We want to bring Gilad back – and prevent terrorists from returning to Judea and Samaria and murdering our citizens." Last night: Bedouin citizen entered Gaza Strip and was caught by Hamas.
3. OSCAR ON THE THIRD TRY?
Just as in past two years: Israeli film is candidate for prize. "Ajami" creators: This is a dream.
WALLA!
1. BERLUSCONI IN KNESSET: "GOLDSTONE TRIED TO INCRIMINATE YOU."
Italian PM addresses Knesset and explains that Italy's opposition to Goldstone report came against background of Hamas firing at Israel. He called for resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians and for increased security for Israel.
2. BEDOUIN CROSSES BORDER INTO GAZA AND IS RETURNED TO ISRAEL.
Resident of Hura crossed fence into Gaza and disappeared. This morning he was returned unharmed to the Coordination and Liaison Authority.
3. AIR FORCE ATTACKS TUNNELS IN GAZA STRIP.
Air Force operates in Gaza and attacks smuggling tunnels. Security source notes that attack followed attempt to infiltrate explosives-laden barrels into Israel by sea. IDF Spokesperson: "We will continue to act with strength and determination."
NANA10
1. BERLUSCONI IN KNESSET: WORLD IS GRATEFUL FOR FACT OF YOUR EXISTENCE.
Italian PM addresses special Knesset session and says despite Goldstone report's attempt to incriminate Israel – it responded with justified fire at Hamas's missiles. Netanyahu says that Italy is at vanguard of struggle against anti-Semitism in Europe.
2. RESPONSE TO EXPLOSIVE BARRELS: IDF ATTACKS GAZA STRIP.
IDF Spokesperson: Hamas is responsible. Alarabiya reports casualties.
3. ISRAELI BEDOUIN CROSSES INTO GAZA – AND IS RETURNED TO ISRAEL.
Mentally unstable man transferred to Coordination and Liaison Administration.
4. FAYYAD: "ISRAEL MUST STOP ITS RAIDS INTO OUR AREAS."
Palestinian PM and DM Barak meet and shake hands at Herzliya Conference.
5. 'NEGOTIATIONS ON SHALIT DEAL ARE NOT OVER."
Despite exchange of words between Netanyahu and senior Hamas official A-Zahar, assessment in Israel is that negotiations have not reached impasse.
[Headlines for Walla! and Nana10 are from their websites as of 12:30.]
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SUMMARY OF OP-EDS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot opines that, "What has been going on between Israel and Hamas," in the negotiations over the release of Gilad Shalit, "in the last few weeks, since Israel submitted its latest offer almost one month ago this Friday, is injury-time play. This is occurring, unlike the rest of the negotiations that were held in secret, primarily in the public eye. As during added-on injury-time play, so it is now, the chance for a dramatic breakthrough for change is small."
Ma'ariv says that, "It would be fitting to praise the Prime Minister's announcement on our moral obligation, as a people and a state, to the 1,200 children of foreign workers, who were born here in Israel."
Yisrael Hayom suggests that, "We ran away from the Gaza Strip and, as the bumper sticker says, 'Gaza is running after us.' It runs after us with missiles from over the fence. It runs after us with tunnels dug beneath it...We abandoned the Philadelphi corridor. We ran away from a strip of land, and we left behind an enemy imprisoned between fences. What exactly did we think would happen?" The author chides, "Whoever thought that the solution to bombs was to uproot communities, received bombs on the beaches of Ashdod."
The Jerusalem Post wonders if the explosive-laden barrels that washed ashore in Ashdod and Ashkelon recently herald the opening of a new terror front from the sea. Remarking that the Palestinians view their war with Israel in zero-sum terms, the editor notes that "Ideologically, a chauvinistic Palestinian nationalism has combined with Islamist fanaticism to oppose the right of Jews to enjoy sovereignty anywhere in this land," and adds that "This bleak picture will change only when the Palestinian leadership acknowledges and internalizes Israel’s legitimacy and re-educates its people toward the idea of coexistence – the sooner the better for their sake and ours."
Haaretz discusses the recent statement by Defense Minister Ehud Barak that if Israel does not reach a peace agreement with Syria shortly, "we are liable to enter a belligerent clash with it that could reach the point of an all-out, regional war." The editor declares that if he does not leave his ministerial post because the Netanyahu government is not moving forward on peace, then "Barak, even more than Netanyahu, may be responsible for the all-out and unnecessary war he warned of."
[Ronen Bergman Tami Gordon and Emily Amrosi wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronot, Ma'ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]
